Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy

Many people associate getting a massage with a luxurious spa, but did you know that massage therapy, in combination with traditional cancer treatment, has the potential to influence the body in many ways? Massage is much more than the ‘just feels good’ service. Massage relieves muscle tension and soreness, and actually causes the body to release its natural painkillers. Additionally, massage aides in the elimination of toxic substances from the body, thus reducing stress. Although massage does not cure disease, it can help a patient enter into a meditative state, allowing easier access for a reduction of stress, pain, anxiety and other symptoms related to illness and treatment.

Therapeutic massage is one of the oldest health care practices, dating in the U.S. back to the 1850’s. Research indicates that cancer patients who integrate massage therapy into their treatment regimen report improvements with anxiety, pain and fatigue, a reduction in swelling, improvement of lymphatic drainage, in addition to feeling more relaxed and comfortable. There is also evidence that massage can help boost the immune system as well as support individuals experiencing post-operative discomfort.

There are a multitude of benefits of this type of integrative cancer therapy. Some of the physical/medical benefits include: improved circulation, improved flexibility and range of motion, increased blood supply and nutrition to muscles and organs, a boost to the immune system, improved breathing, and speedier recovery from injuries and surgery. In addition there are many mental health benefits to massage: stimulation of endorphin release, increased mental relaxation, better sleep, reduced anxiety and stress, and uplifted spirit. Massage soothes the body, calms the mind, and revives the spirit.

When we examine the results of the use of massage therapy with people living with cancer, we find that massage increases the effectiveness of traditional medical treatment. Massage therapy can ease side effects by reducing pain and fever, restoring sensation by stimulating nerve endings to reduce neuropathy, slowing the rate of scar formation, preventing atrophy from forced inactivity, relieving lymphedema, and eliminating toxins from the body.

Healing Touch

By definition, Healing Touch is a biofield therapy that is an energy based approach to creating a sense of peace and well-being. This healing practice is designed to support a cancer patient’s journey through treatment and into survivorship by the use of light touch to achieve emotional and physical balance. The method of HT provided integrates holistic principles within a professional medical model which also educates and empowers our patients. The HT practitioner engages in this form of shared energy therapy while the patient lays fully clothed on a treatment table. The practitioner gently glides her hands over various parts of the body based on the intuitive process that occurs in energy work.

A form of Energy medicine, Healing Touch is an ancient Eastern healing technique used for stress reduction, and sometimes pain relief. It is a relaxing, nurturing energy therapy that assists in balancing physical, emotional, mental & spiritual well-being. It is used in a wide variety of settings including hospitals, particularly as it enhances surgery recovery and accelerates wound healing. HT works to improve the body’s natural ability toward balance; it is completely non-invasive and safe.

Healing Touch has been found to be effective in helping every known illness, used in conjunction with medical treatment to relieve stress-related side effects and even strengthen the immune system. There are no known contraindications for this practice. This integrative therapy has been proven to be an excellent complement to traditional forms of cancer treatment, as it is specifically recommended for people with chronic illness and stress. The interdisciplinary team at the Sari Center encourages you to engage in Healing Touch regularly, to support your body’s natural healing processes.

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Ethics and Standards

As members in good standing with the National Guild of Hypnotists, we follow the NGH Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice.